Forum Topic

The Kanneh-Mason Family

What a fabulous programme that was last evening, on for an hour at prime time too. Thank heavens for keeping our spirits up. And what a shame that their source of income is almost entirely removed in the immediate future.

James Dixon ● 2157d20 Comments

"Exactly, the NHS is mainly paid through general taxation."And if you decide you don't want to pay your share because you have private health insurance you'll get short shrift in the same way. Funny that.

Freddie Francis ● 2156d

"Also, we all pay for the NHS but not necessarily use it"Exactly, the NHS is mainly paid through general taxation.

Ed Robinson ● 2156d

I think the BBC is absolutely great and have no problems with the licence which covers TV and radio.Should people go to jail for non- payment of the licence? Certainly not. In addition, it is not the BBC deciding on the licence fee for over 75s, it was the government. Also, we all pay for the NHS but not necessarily use it. I would not have any other way.

Ivonne Holliday ● 2156d

The seem to have their own website with some of that information.http://www.kannehmasons.com/

Michael Ixer ● 2156d

When I was growing up in Devon in the 1950s and '60s there were no school orchestras, no instrumental teaching, so I envy those who grew up in local authorities that could afford to provide this.I too would like to know more about the Kanneh-Mason family who seem warm, kind and unpretentious.As for the BBC licence fee, it also pays for radio, and I value Radios 3 & 4.

Elizabeth Balsom ● 2156d

I would agree the BBC produce some excellent dramas and documentaries.However is it value for money for everybody - including those that do not watch it?And should we be sending people to prison for non payment?Which may now include people over 75 - who had previously had a free TV licence.It's madness -  scrape the TV licence.https://petition.parliament.uk/petitions/300118VAT is now 20 percent on TV's and services like SKY, Netflix etc. The exchequer shouldn't have it both ways!The BBC needs funding but the TV licence is set by government - to have a separate tax is just inefficient, antiquated and a deflection.

Ed Robinson ● 2157d

I love the Beeb, can't beat it for great dramas, news and documentaries.

Bunny Payne ● 2157d

I agree Nick that a bit more information could have been provided.  However, I wondered whether the younger ones are going to the same school as the elder brothers and they do not wish to jeopardize their anonymity/safety? But what an amazingly talented family!  I was so impressed!

Ivonne Holliday ● 2157d

To get back to the programme last night and the amazing Kanneh-Mason family, I was struck by the comment from the mother about the need for music teaching in schools. Unfortunately I think this will go unheard by our philistine government. My own two got terrific support from Roehampton Church School and both play instruments to a high standard. I think that support has long withered away. There were two orchestras!On the programme itself I would have liked a lot more traditional documentary information rather than nature shots of bumblebees and random people running down empty streets. How come the parents made the decision to encourage their children into music? What did they do for a living? We were told nothing about the parents. Do they play? Did the mother stay at home with the kids? How did she manage so many different children practising at the same time? She mentioned the wonderful state primary school they went to. Why was this special? And so on.Nick

Nicholas Evans ● 2157d

I do not recall any poke at you Freddie - although your original post was a poke at others!iPlayer link below:https://www.bbc.co.uk/iplayer/episode/m000kycj/imagine-2020-this-house-is-full-of-music

Ed Robinson ● 2157d

I never argued against reform. Sorry to deprive you of your poke at me.Anyway, I thought we'd finished hijacking this thread. I won't humour your predicted knee-jerk response to my post any further. Congrats to the BBC for what appears to have been a very good programme. Even the Telegraph thought so. It gave it three stars.

Freddie Francis ● 2157d

"Well thanks for your concern for my finances.."I'm not concerned about your finances Freddie, but there are many I'm sure do find the tax a burden and now it may also include some over 75."Try an experiment.."No Freddie, I believe in keeping within the law and not encouraging others to break it.I do believe in reform and organisations that fail to reform eventually disappear. People that argue against reform are normally the last to see this.

Ed Robinson ● 2157d

Apologies to the OP. My comment caused exactly the response I expected ;-)

Freddie Francis ● 2157d

Well thanks for your concern for my finances but I'm very happy paying the licence fee. Try an experiment. Go and watch Sky or Netflix or Amazon in someone's house who doesn't subscribe or have high speed broadband. Then try the BBC (illegally if you dare).

Freddie Francis ● 2157d

@Freddie VAT is already levied on commercial TV services. When VAT was increased to 20% the TV licence tax should have been abolished. It is outdated, inefficient and discriminatory.Interesting that BBC provides free TV services abroad to many countries but no or very little news coverage of those same countries to its UK audience.Also I can only use the service when in the UK. Another outdated restriction.

Ed Robinson ● 2157d

OK, the alternative: £10 per month for Netflix, Amazon et al (with largely American content) not to mention the fees for Sky channels. With the the BBC you get TV, including a world service news channel and regional channels, radio (national and local as well as ethnically focused channels) plus the iPlayer and it's archive. Pretty good value in my view. The criminalisation issue and the accusatory letters is a different matter which aI agree is not great at all. However, I'm sure if you were found out using a fake Sky card in your Sky box you'd be in some sort of trouble too.

Freddie Francis ● 2157d

Thanks for the heads up I shall try and catch it on iplayer.@Freddie for 4 or 5 billion pounds I just expect better value, stop harassing people who do not have a TV and stop sending people to jail for failure to comply!

Ed Robinson ● 2157d

The people who love to whinge about the BBC here won't be happy to see people rightfully praising a bit of the company's output. They all think the Beeb just broadcasts dross.

Freddie Francis ● 2157d

An amazingly musical family, incredibly talented!  We too enjoyed the programme very much indeed.  What fabulous neighbours to have!!!  

Ivonne Holliday ● 2157d

Yeh brilliant.looking at the house dont think they are shiort of a shilling or two.

Andy Pike ● 2157d